Jennifer Barrera
Jennifer Barrera took over as president and chief executive officer of the California Chamber of Commerce on October 1, 2021. Previously, she oversaw the development and implementation of policy and strategy as executive vice president and represented the CalChamber on legal reform issues. She led CalChamber advocacy on labor and employment and taxation from September 2010 through the end of 2017. As senior policy advocate in 2017, she worked with the executive vice president in developing policy strategy. Before joining the CalChamber, she worked at a statewide law firm that specializes in labor/employment defense. Barrera earned a B.A. in English from California State University, Bakersfield, and a J.D. with high honors from California Western School of Law. See full bio.
California Law Helping Workers File Labor Claims Needs Reform
Eight billion dollars. That’s the amount of money trial attorneys have leveraged from California employers over the last six years in Private Attorneys General...
California Must Fix Labor Laws to Reflect Shift to Remote and Hybrid Work Arrangements
Any question about whether remote work would continue after pandemic-related shutdowns ended has been answered: work from home is here to stay.
The fact that...
Voters Should Reject Proposition 30
The California Chamber of Commerce is urging all Californians to vote NO on Proposition 30. California’s ability to compete depends on attracting and retaining...
Moderate Democrats Show Influence in Key Policy Areas
In a democracy, it’s the votes that count. No matter what the polls say before election day, or the pundits say about the make-up...
CalChamber Endorses Effort to Open Schools Safely and Soon
The time has come for the Legislature to join Governor Gavin Newsom in finalizing an agreement to reopen California public schools.
Governor Newsom has laid...
Legislature to California Employers: Do as I Say, Not as I Do
The California Assembly left until the very last minute of its 2020 session one of the most controversial bills of the year. SB 1383...
Employment-Related Job Killer Bills Remain as End of Session Approaches
Three California Chamber of Commerce job killer bills that will significantly increase labor costs and create more liability for employers are expected to be...
Assembly Committee to Consider Two Job Killer Bills That Will Increase Labor Costs
Two job killer bills that will increase costs and expose employers to potential litigation will be considered by the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee...
Job Killer Bill Establishing New Leave Advances to Assembly
A job killer bill that will overwhelmingly impact small employers and will impose higher costs and additional administrative burdens passed a key legislative hurdle...
New Job Killer Bill Would Devastate Small Employers in California
A bill requiring that all employers provide 12 weeks of protected family leave and includes a private right of action has been labeled a...
Job Killer Bill Increasing Burdens on Garment Industry to Be Considered Tuesday
A California Chamber of Commerce job killer bill that will increase costs and impose onerous burdens on garment industry employers will be considered by...
Job Killer Bill Allowing Local Government to Adopt Stricter Labor Standards to Be Heard...
A job killer bill that would result in chaotic and inconsistent enforcement of wage and hour laws by local jurisdictions by authorizing them to...
CalChamber Offers Recommendations to Fire Up California’s Economic Recovery
Setting liability limits for employers facing lawsuits over COVID-19 exposure, postponing the 2021 minimum wage hike, and expediting retraining programs for unemployed workers are...
Job Killer Bills Impose New Leave Mandates; Raise Costs, Burdens on Employers
Job killing legislation that will threaten small employers with costly litigation, increased financial burdens, and new or extended leaves of absence is advancing in...
Job Killer Update: AB 2501 Added to List, 1 Bill Stalled, 1 Bill Removed
A job killer bill that will significantly restrict Californians’ ability to access home and auto loans by placing onerous burdens on lenders, which will...
Private Attorneys General Act in Need of Reform
To identify flaws in the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), reformers need look no further than comments from the state agency assigned to...
New Privacy Initiative Aimed at November Ballot
A new consumer data privacy initiative backed by the proponent of the measure that led to adoption of the state’s broad privacy law will...
Voters May Decide Fate of “Gig” Drivers and Delivery Workers
Last week, a much-anticipated initiative was filed regarding independent contractor status for transportation network drivers and delivery network drivers/couriers in the gig economy.
The initiative...
More Exemptions Needed on Bill Codifying Independent Contractor Test
There are three weeks left in the legislative session and one of the most common questions I get multiple times on a daily basis...
For Uber and Lyft Drivers, Reclassification Means Less Flexibility
Last week, an op-ed appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle discussing the fact that executives from Uber and Lyft have come together to address...